Ticking along if not down.....

Well life is ticking along but my weight loss ticker is not going the way I want it to. I seem to be on an eternal plateau. I guess the main thing to be happy about is that the plateau is so much lower from where I used to hover 18 months ago!! I have just completed my latest personal challenge - cycling 100kms! (that's about 62 miles for those of you who aren't metric). It was a big challenge and it took me around 4 hours and 50 minutes to get from the start to the finish - but I did it and I was thrilled to add that to my list of personal achievements. That time is not a speed record I know (my husband did the ride in 3 hrs 10 mins) but I'm still pretty pleased with my result. The race was called the 100k Flyer - I wished I could fly on a few of the uphills..... oh well - I have a time to beat for next year now. In band news, I had to have an unfil last month after having an unexpected tight week which culminated in me not being able to get anything down - was really odd and happened 3 weeks after a 0.1ml fill. Ended up having to fly down to the clinic and have 0.4mls out before the gurgling stopped and I could actually swallow! Needless to say after everything settled down I have been hungry hungry hungry. I have had 2 tiny re-fills so far but I'm going slow cos I don't want another drama like that. The weight loss over the week when you can't eat looks great but is not real and actually quite depressing when it climbs back up once you start drinking and eating again. Hope everyone is well out there in blogland. We are heading in to winter now here in NZ. Daylight saving ended on Sunday and that is always a bit sad. Will have to find more indoor activities now to keep me out of trouble!

Jenny and I went on holiday...

Last month Jenny and I went for a 3 day trip to Sydney, Australia - it's a 3 hour flight across the Tasman. We left behind husband, kids, work and responsibility and celebrated our new post-band lives. Here's Jenny at Manly beach (just after we had managed to share a piece of fish and half a scoop of chips by the beach)...check out those collarbones, Jenny!
Here I am ready to hit the town and go and see the Michael Buble concert - which was fabulous. If I ever leave my darling husband (not going to happen - he's a keeper), and Michael ditches the Argentinian actress, we are definitely going to be an item.

And just to show we are definitely not model bandsters - here's lunch at the Lindt cafe - not only a mochachino but also a teeny weeny chocolate sundae!!!! Ice cream is always easy to eat. We were on holiday, after all...

We had a fabulous time and I definitely noticed how much more energy I had walking around all day with less weight and it was hot and humid and I definitely didn't suffer as much in the heat as I used to. Need to plan our next trip, now.

Bad blogger - and keeping things in perpsective

I've been a slack blogger - really I haven't had much to say. I'm getting used to having a band now and eating small amounts and don't feel I have much of interest to say. I do still read your blogs - but I've been bad at commenting -I will try harder.

Today in New Zealand we've had a stark reminder of how the extra 2 or 3 kgs I want to lose is not a big deal. Christchurch has had another huge earthquake less than 6 months after a 7.3 shake - this one was smaller but shallower and has caused serious damage and at least 65 people are dead - with many trapped in buildings and many more to be counted, no doubt. It's a shocking situation and I haven't been able to think of anything else or watch anything else on TV since it happened. Fingers crossed for a miracle for those who are trapped.

Good grief - January is almost over already!

And this is the first post I have done all year... sorry all you fellow bandster bloggers.... the month seems to have got away on me! Happy New Year - hope you all had a great holiday season. I've had a very busy month starting with my husbands 50th birthday celebration with a BBQ for 80 people at our place on Dec 23rd, follwed by a noisy, family and fun filled Christmas with 17 of us at our home enjoying each others company, the food, drink and the sun.

Since then I have spent a lot of time on my bike! Training and taking part in 2 great events cycling around the beautiful mountain Mt Egmont/Taranaki which is the centre piece of my home province in New Zealand. It is a 150km circuit around the mountain on the road course. On 15th Jan I rode the last 64km as part of a team with my husband and 3 girl friends. It was a great feeling to cross the finish line and to be able to say I did it. Then this weekend I conquered my biggest challenge so far - the first 75km of the course as part of a 2 person relay with my cycle-buddy Carolyn. There was a horrendous 40km/hr head wind all the way round the coastal road to the 62km turn and it was a serious battle of strength and will at times on the hills but I made it. I got back on my bike for the last 5kms so Carolyn and I could ride together as a team ("The Diva and The Dancer") over the finish line with our family and friends cheering us on! It was a great event and I'm so happy I could do it.

And just in case you are wondering - I am the "Diva" NOT the "Dancer"!!!

And just to prove I really do wear lycra - here is a photo of my husband and I after our Lake Taupo cycle ride late last year. (He had finished a while before me so had had time to change into real clothes.....)

Missing in action

I haven't blogged for three weeks - we've just started massive renovations to our house and have had to move out for at least 6 months so between moving and not having internet access at our new place yet (a long and infuriating story!), I haven't been able to blog.

The renovations are super-exciting (and super-expensive *gulp*) and I'm so pleased they've finally started.

Band-wise, not much to tell. I've stayed steady over Christmas and the holidays despite eating and drinking fairly liberally - I need to rein it in to lose the last 3 kgs but I'm celebrating not putting on weight.

Better finish up as I'm at work so not a lot of time for blogging. Take care all!

Happy New Year!

9.30 pm on New Year's Eve and I'm rapidly fading - once again I'll be in bed before midnight. Since I had kids staying up until midnight has lost its allure - knowing there'll be a 7.00 am wake up call no matter what. We've had a great night with old friends from out of town and their kids - and now we're winding down and cleaning up. Just wanted to wish all my blogland friends a great 2011. I don't have any big resolutions -but I would like to lost a last 3 kilos to get to goal - and if I stop all the holiday treats, I know I can do that. Peace, everyone - and bless the band!

I'm on holiday!

I finished work today - just taking a break from packing to go away tomorrow. Presents are all wrapped and in the locked suitcases (nosey children!) and I think we're nearly ready. As always I have a few lists on the go - love me a good list. The girls and I are booked to fly at 11.15 tomorrow while the darling husband drives the sleigh (well it's a stationwagon but I prefer sleigh) the 360kms to my hometown. But the airport we're flying into has been closed with low cloud most of today - so fingers crossed for us. I have seen the website and flights have gone in and out tonight so here's hoping. Otherwise we'll all drive but a 50 minute flight is more fun with two 7 year olds than 5 hours in the car.

On the band front, I cancelled a fill appointment last week - I'm definitely in the green zone and didn't want to be too tight over Christmas as they're not back in the office until 17 Jan (everything closes down over Christmas in New Zealand - it's the big summer holiday). I haven't been making great food choices - too many treats but haven't put anything on (yet) - haven't lost anything either!

Best wishes to everyone in blogland for a happy Christmas. It certainly feels good to be another 15kgs down since last Christmas.

On the 4th day of Christmas....

I bought myself a new dress. Not traditional and not planned but the best gifts are the ones you buy for yourself, right? It's a tunic (another one) - gorgeous indigo blue - here it is in purple (not on me but I am just as hot as this model, IMO -and also very modest!):
I'll wear it with some 3/4 leggings and heels, can be worn with or without the belt. Best of all I tried it on when I bought my dress in Auckland and decided I couldn't justify two (this designer is not cheap). Today I was walking past her Wellington shop and was magnetically drawn in to find a half price rack with this dress on it! It was meant to be. And in a NSV I had my size and the shop assistant asked me if I was sure I was that size because SHE THOUGHT I WAS SMALLER THAN THAT. Sorry for shouting but that is a first in a designer shop - yay me! Yay the band!

I have also decided not to have another fill before Christmas. I was hungry at first after my unfill and I'm still .1ml down from my pre-drama volume but I'm eating small amounts and I'm not hungry so don't want to risk another drama over the holidays.

The kids finished school today for 7 weeks!! Give me strength...

Blogging after wine - good idea or not?

In the old days when I was able to eat large volumes of food I was also able to drink significant quantities of alcohol. Now, not so much. I've just had a glass of Marlborough sauvignon blanc at the neighbours' on this beautiful summer's evening - just one glass - and I feel quite impaired. Impaired like no way would I drive. On one glass of wine. In the old days that was just a start - now it is the end of tonight's drinking. Is this good or bad? You be the judge...Anyone else find their alcohol tolerance impacted by the band? And is it just because we eat less or also because we weigh less??

New followers and I'm hungry

I see we have some new followers, which is great! We always try to follow you if you're reading our blog so if we've missed doing that, please leave a link to your blog in the comments and we'll follow you.

Also, I need my Friday morning fill - hungry in the morning which is not a good sign for me - think I might ask for .2 mls as I had .3 mls removed when I felt I was in the green zone (before the sudden tight episode) and I'd like to get back to that so I can lose these last few kilos to get to goal.

Hope everyone is having a good week. I'm enjoying the first official day of summer - it's been great weather for over a week, and I'm loving the new clothes I've had to buy since last summer.

Forgive me bloggers for I’ve been missing….

It is 4 weeks since my last confession… I mean blog!
And what an amazing 4 weeks it’s been. First there was the 1 year Bandiversary…. And what a fantastic year - 25 kgs lighter than last year and feeling great. Getting closer to my goal weight and lapping up the compliments.
Then we went to the U2 360 concert last Thursday and it was fantastic. They are my favourite band in the world and their live concerts are amazing! Even better I had splashed out and bought 8 of the top priced seats and shared the event with my husband, my 2 sons, my niece and her boyfriend, and of course my wonderful sisters Maree and Susan. It was such a great night… sang and danced and worshipped along with 60,000 fans and we were soooo close. It was awesome!!

Then to top off a busy week, on Saturday I conquered my 40km relay leg of the cycle challenge around Lake Taupo. The whole event was a huge buzz… 10,000 people riding between 160km all the way round the Lake to 40km legs of the relay. It was a sunny and hot 30 degree day and the heat off the road was outrageous but we cycled our hearts out and DID NOT get off and walk - even up the 3km long hill climb even though there were plenty who did! It is such a thrill to set a challenge goal and achieve it. Next year I am going to do 80kms!!! You heard it here. And in the meantime there are some other cycle events my husband and friends are planning to enter.

On the band front, I had another 0.1ml fill last Monday (that now takes me to the total I tried all at once way back in early September when I had a horror overfilled week) and I finally seem to have some control over the hunger I’ve had for a long while. The combination of that and the calories I burnt off on the ride mean I have been able to post another 1kg loss! Yippee! Rocking the band – mine and U2!

Great concert and new dress

The U2 concert was fantastic - they were everything I hoped for and it was great to see them with family, including my two wonderful sisters.

The next morning I had some free time before I flew home so went shopping - was meant to be for Christmas presents but I ended up with a dress for me. Here I am in the toilets at work today (lovely background of the basins!):

And in other good news, despite the unfill, I had a new low on Saturday. All in all, a good week.

Hungry again after unfill

Well, the unfill I had last Friday has completely fixed the problems I developed last week with PBing and acid reflux BUT I am now hungry again after months of not being hungry (except if I'd gone a loooong time without eating). Amazing what a difference .3 mls can make. I have an appointment for Friday 3/12 for a fill but may see if I can get in earlier. I can't go this week as I'm going away tomorrow for a night to see U2 - so excited! I had a ticket to see them in 1989 and couldn't go (showing my age now!) so 21 years later I'll finally see them. Can't wait!

First unfill

Just back from seeing the nurse and having .3mls taken out of my band. I haven't had a fill for over 2 months but in the last couple of weeks I've had a "full" feeling at night as well as lots of gurgling with drinking. Yesterday I had a bad PB at lunchtime on a fairly innocuous meal (chicken frittata). Last night I woke at 1.30am coughing and with acid reflux - hideous experience. I got up for an hour then went back to bed and slept with my head up on pillows. First thing this morning I got an appointment for an unfill - we're trying .3mls - I live 5 minutes walk away so I'll see how I go with fluids today and go back this afternoon if I need more out. *Sigh* - this is my first "issue" so I hope I've got onto it quickly and the unfill and a day or two of fluids and mushies will get me back to "normal" (whatever that is with this band!). I've also got another appointment to see if I need a small fill in a couple of weeks.

Happy Bandiversary to us!!

A year today since Jenny and I were banded! It's been a fantastic year and I have no regrets at all about becoming a bandit - except that I didn't do it sooner! I'm at a new low again today, which is great, and only 3 kg (about 6.5 lbs) from goal. I've never lost for as long as this, and have never lost as much as this, in all my previous efforts. I'm now buying clothes in "normal" shops, not expensive fat ladies shops, and I don't have to pick the largest size and hope it fits. I don't think I have any secrets of how to succeed with the band - I haven't counted calories or protein but I have concentrated on protein at each meal and on reducing portion sizes - and I think it's the amount I eat, rather than what I eat, which has led to my weight loss. I don't ever want to diet again and so I still eat small quantities of the things I love - cheese, ice cream, chocolate, chips and cake - but as the quantities are small, and not every day, I've still been able to lose without feeling deprived and wanting to eat lots of those things. It's worked for me. I'm still learning about this band and how to work it but I look forward to getting to goal soon and staying there.

Rocking the band for a year!! Yay us!!

Work Schmirk!

I know I have been absent for a while... work just seems to be taking up so much of my time.... it is highly overrated as far as I am concerned. Of course I need the cash I get from my job but sometimes I just wish it was only for a couple of days a week and the rest of the time was mine! Actually a couple of days a month would be even better... oh well.. work schmirk!

On the band front - I can hardly believe it is almost a year since Maree and I joined "the bandits". This time last year was pre-op diet optifast time and I was in equal parts feeling starving and also excited that it was my last diet. I actually lost an incredible 8kgs during that 2 and a half weeks - which was a fantastic kick start to my goal. And the goal is getting closer.... I'm inching slowly down toward it.

I've had 2 tiny 0.1ml fills in the last 3 weeks following my fill/unfill disaster 6 weeks ago. So I'm now making progress again. And after 3 weeks of inactivity after surgery to strip a nasty varicose vein from my leg, I am back cycling training for my 40km ride on Nov 27th.

So next week is a big milestone week. It's been an amazing journey so far and it's great to have been able to share it with you all out there in blogland and hear from so many of you as well.
Bring on the celebrations!

Nearly one year on and still making mistakes

What was I thinking? I just went to the supermarket to get some lunch - didn't have a plan which is always a mistake for me. I ordered a toasted ham and cheese sandwich!! Really? What was I thinking?!? I can't eat bread (unless it is a thin piece of toast so crispy it's almost charcoal). But I thought I could eat just toasted, doughy white bread? Duh!

The good news is I got back to my office, took one look at that baby and reality set in. I knew I could never eat it, so I took out the ham and cheese and ate that in small bites and threw the bread away. A lucky escape from a very bad PB, I would say!

But where was my head? Did I forget I had a band? What an idiot.

Losing again - getting close to goal

I've made a concerted effort this week to eat what I need rather than what I want -you know, use the band rather than try to eat around it. Starting with stopping my post-dinner every night chocolate treats - that's the way to plateau, isn't it! So I'm down 400 grams on my lowest, but more importantly 1.5kg down on the bounceback from that low nearly a month ago. Only 3.7 kg to goal now - and I will weigh what I did when I was 17. It's a year on Monday since I started my pre-op diet and I do not ever want to drink another Optifast again in my life - I was sooo hungry at the beginning of that diet - thank goodness it was only for a couple of weeks. And it was all worth it to read my operation notes which said I had a "nicely floppy" liver - a strange compliment but I'll take it!! I have my one year follow up with my surgeon on Friday - a week early. Had blood taken yesterday. I don't expect too many surprises as I was surprisingly healthy even at my highest weight - never had any problems with blood pressure or cholesterol or diabetes but I think all of that was in the post if I'd continued on the way I was. Anyhow, life is good - our girls went to a birthday party this morning so the darling husband I got to go to brunch together, which was great, just like the old days. I had half a serve of scrambled eggs and a piece of bacon - yum.

Hope everyone is well out in blogland.

New photo

We've just been visiting Mum and Dad and Jenny & family during the school holidays so we took the chance for a progress photo session. Our new profile photo was taken yesterday and shows an amazing change - here is our original profile photo:

What a difference a year makes. I can't get over how much healthier and happier (not to mention slimmer!) we both look.

New dress

Disclaimer: photo taken by 7 year old and sorry, no toe pointing!!

Here I am this evening in the new dress I bought today. Please excuse the whiter than white legs - it's the end of winter here and I haven't yet started the fake tan regime! Also it's been 12 hours, a couple of meetings and taking the girls to swimming since makeup application so please excuse my less than pristine condition. The collar looks weird because one side is open and one sort of closed - that's not how I'll wear it! I'm happy with the dress which has a really cute belt (not something I would have worn before!). And even better it was 25% off today only although it's new stock. One of the best things about this weight loss is shopping!!! I bought another dress and a top as well - will model those ones another day.